Welcoming the Holy
Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.
By: Sister Kathy Weider
Opening Prayer
We praise and thank You for your holy Scriptures which reveal Your instructions and words of inspiration to us. Please deepen our understanding and increase our desire to live Your words with all our hearts. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Reading
Isaiah 58:7-10
Thus says the Lord: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am! If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; if you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday.
Reflection
From the beginning of time there has been both light and darkness. We note the difference between the two frequently, at the very least the alternating in each day between daylight and nighttime. But both literally and figuratively we often move from one to the other – opening the curtains to let the light in, experiencing the darkness of a loved one diagnosed with a serious illness. Today, given the state of affairs in our own nation, and around the world, many of us feel we are surrounded by darkness, by injustice, and by the evil deeds that seem to be so overwhelming. We desire the Light of God, the Sun of Justice.
In Scripture, both the Old and New Testaments, we often read about all the teachings regarding the significance of light and darkness. Today’s readings are some examples of that.
The first reading from Isaiah, seems so appropriate for these times in which we live. It is the same passage we will hear again in a few weeks at the beginning of Lent. It is preceded by God saying, “This is how you are to live.” God gives some specific directions such as feed the hungry and shelter the oppressed and homeless. (Today we might have been told to keep the immigrants safe and see to their needs – for we are all descendants of refugees ourselves.) Then Isaiah makes this promise: “Then YOUR light will break forth like the dawn.” Imagine! The Light of God shining through us! It is not passive – us waiting for God to shine ON us. We are entrusted with a sacred responsibility to bring forth God’s light by the way you and I live. Just think about that! The reading ends with the words, “Then light shall rise for you in the darkness.”
Psalm 112 testifies to the same message: Light comes from the one who tries to live God’s teachings. The refrain is: “The just one is a light in darkness to the upright.” Teachings from Isaiah are praised, and repeatedly the psalm refers to “justice,” or “the just.” We are challenged to be gracious, merciful, and to give to the poor.
In the Gospel of Matthew today Jesus says to the disciples (and you and me), “You are the light of the world.” Wow! Jesus goes on to point out that you don’t hide the light, but you put it on a lampstand for all to see. I sincerely doubt that Jesus was instructing us to send out press releases or to show off how good we are. But when we actively serve the needs of others near or far, our light will shine for all to see.
If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed because of all the mandates in today’s readings, don’t feel bad. It’s interesting to note that after Jesus’ death on the cross, and His Resurrection, the disciples did indeed stay locked in a house together because they were so fearful and confused. It wasn’t until Pentecost and the coming of the power of the Holy Spirit, that they began to actually go out and teach and heal as Jesus did!
As Sister Diana Dolce pointed out in a recent Hope Hall Newsletter:
Light is stronger than darkness and all of us have the power within us to be light!
We all have personal power within us that comes from God, and that power is what enables us to make good choices.
We need to teach, as well as practice the value of life, the value of doing something hard for the sake of the common good, the values of respect and reverence for another person (even if we disagree with their point of view), and the value of simple acts of kindness.
We don’t have to do great things, but we can all do some things for others, and do it all with great love!
I want to end with a very brief story that has always inspired me. We are told that Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said, “Abba, as much as I am able, I practice a small rule, all the little fasts, some prayer and meditation, and remain quiet, as much as possible I keep my thoughts clean. What else shall I do?” Then the old man stood up and stretched out his hands towards heaven, and his fingers became like torches of flame. And he said, “Why not be turned into fire?”
Are we on fire with the love of God, desiring to serve God present in all those in need? Then let your light shine!
(Perhaps you want to sing, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…”)
Closing Prayer
Thank you, loving and gracious God, for the gift and the challenge of being bearers of Your light by the way we serve those in need. Please give us eyes to see as You see, and the grace to love others unconditionally, just as You love us. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
